Beyond Nature's Realm
by Citywriter84
Summary: Sally-Anne Perks is a Hufflepuff third year fascinated with the world of magical beasts. With Hagrid's assistance, another Hufflepuff girl has just given birth to a centaur foal and Sally realises she can fulfil one of her darkest desires. But what does Hagrid have in mind for her and how do his motivations relate to his issues about his own conception? Set at the end of PoA.
1. Chapter 1

**The Birth of a Project**

Sally-Anne sighed to herself as she ate lunch with her friend, Susan Bones. Hogwarts had been thrown into commotion by the escape of Sirius Black the previous night and the revealation that Professor Lupin was a werewolf. It had been known that Professor Snape had been after his job and had struck at his rival by telling all the Slytherins that morning and almost immediately the news spread to the other three houses. Sally brushed her hair away from her face as she reflected on the injustice of it. Lupin's lycanthropy was not a curse. It made him different, but need that be written off as wrong? In her view, all magical creatures should look out for each other. Why should hostility rend their little world apart? Magical beings and beasts were her special interest. To think what secrets could be unlocked if inane bigotry against other forms of life should cease...

The mood in the castle had lightened now that the Dementors were gone. Everyone knew Dementors were unbeings. Demons. They were the real enemy of light and reason. When wizards fought wizards and magical creatures hated one another, only those foul fiends would benefit.

"You are a dreamer, Sally," said Susan Bones, flicking her long, red plait over her shoulder. With a start, Sally realised she had been lost in thought while her friend had been trying to speak. Sorry, Susie, she said, blushing deeply. "I was just, um, thinking about how lucky it was that Hagrid's hippogriff escaped last night."

"I agree, my auntie should probably have intervened," agreed Susan.

"I just want to congratulate Hagrid," said Sally, getting to her feet. "See you in class."

Hagrid was in a very cheery mood when Sally arrived at his hut. "Sally! How are yer," he said, clapping her on the shoulder and making her knees buckle. "It's a won'erful day today. Beaky is free... and I have some good news... I think yer should know that one of my students has done ruddy brillian' in her special project."

"Special project?" For a moment Sally was indignant. Hagrid had been wasting the third years' time on flobberworms. To think he had been showing other years the true wonders of the magical world! "You mean she gets to look after proper creatures like Hippogriffs?"

"It's alrigh' Sally, you can come and see," said Hagrid. "Ye'll appreciate it."

Hagrid beckoned her to follow him and he gathered up his crossbow and strode into the Forbidden Forest with Sally hurrying to keep pace with him. They went along a winding path, almost overgrown with thistles and brambles. Stray branches kept snagging on Sally's hair and robes. Eventually they reached a clearing with a curious, ramshackle wooden house and Hagrid went inside.

Sally followed, finding herself in a surprisingly well appointed room, with a soft featherbed in the middle. Lacey, a seventh year girl also from Hufflepuff house lay on the bed, stark naked, her long, blond hair loose. With a surge of amazement that left her quite giddy, Sally saw that she was cuddling what looked like a baby - and a tiny foal fused into one body. It had the body of a little foal, legs sprawled higgeldy-piggeldy over the bed, but it also had the torso, chubby little arms and head of a human baby, suckling on Lacey's breast.

"Congratulations Lacey!" Said Hagrid, beaming at her. "I knew yer could do it. Ye'd never leave yer own foal over stupid reasons. Sally would like to congratulate you too. She's interested in what magical creatures ye can create by mixing magical genes." Lacey had been away from the Set (as Hufflepuff house's common room was called) for a while and she had been heavily pregnant before her absense. But Sally had had no idea that she would be having a baby centaur!

Lacey's face had a somewhat haggard look, but she beamed at Sally, her blue eyes sparkling. "That's so sweet of you, Sally," she said. "I knew you would want to support me."

Sally spoke up, bursting to give voice to what was on her mind. "Lacey, you and a unicorn...? Wow." Sally knew full well that centaurs were born from unions between witches and unicorn stallions, but the centaur herd in the Forbidden Forest retained rigid control of all centaur breeding. She felt quite giddy at Lacey's boldness.

"The Herd wouldn' like it - they've caught witches and unicorns and made 'em breed before, so there'd be more centaurs, but then they keep their own mothers and fathers prisoner," said Hagrid, his beard quivering in indignation.

"Hagrid was really supportive, he knows how I love unicorns," said Lacey with a sniff. "He found one that would lie with me and it was an _interesting_ experience. I don't care if others are going to judge me. My son and I will just ride away, go where we please."

"Let me touch him," whispered Sally, enchanted. Lacey's centaur child was still suckling at his mother's breast, but Lacey nodded and Sally stroked the centaur's flank, which was already covered with silver fur.

"I'm goin' ter make new interestin' creatures, there's something happenning next year," said Hagrid mysteriously. "But I'd like ter try a new experiment, too," he added, looking significantly at Sally. "A brand new cross of human and magical creature, but it'd need a volunteer?" Sally stared. Was Hagrid saying what she thought he was?


	2. Chapter 2

**Hybrids Conceived**

"I'd need yer ter help, Sally... if you're willing," said Hagrid. "Ter be mother of a new creature, the most interestin' creature ever, born ter save the magical world from itself and from them Dementors. That's if yer willing."

"Of course I'll help," said Sally quickly. Lacey smiled, still cuddling her foal to her.

"I knew yeh'd say yes," said Hagrid, weeping. "I won' never ferget..."

He rummaged in the many pockets of his overcoat and drew out a long crystal cylinder of what appeared to be some kind of dark green, viscous potion. "Tha's the seed, Sally." Sally nodded and took the phial. She knew she must plant it in herself if she were to really experience the wonders of the magical world directly. In a small side room, she stimulated herself and poured the seed into her. Now the seed of a new hybrid was sown, to which she would be mother. She felt that she was ready. Lacey had been willing to do what it took to fulfil her maternal urges, so why shouldn't she?

At the end of term, Sally returned home to her mother. "Great to have you back Sally," said her mother. "I've not heard from your father lately, the useless muggle."

Sally scowled. "Mum, you now how I hate this muggle bashing. Even if I did not have muggle blood, I would still think of them as human and with a right to live. They think and feel, just like we do."

Her mother fondly stroked her thick dark hair. "That's my girl," she said fondly. "You know I want to spare your father any harm, even if life with a witch was too stressful for him. You are aware that many witches would obliviate him in the same circumstances."

"I know," said Sally with a sniff, giving her mother a bear hug. "Isn't it sad though, that most witches and wizards are as hate-filled as the Death Eaters are? I want to prove that I love every living thing. I will do it you know. You ever heard the rule "show don't tell," which authors of books about Gryffindors often forget?"

Her mother kissed her freckled nose. "I'm sure you will, darling, I'm sure you will," she said softly.

One morning, Sally felt distinctly sick. She rushed to the bathroom. The soft, brown eyes of her reflection stared back at her. Her heavily freckled face now looked rather pale in the bathroom mirror and her thick, brown hair appeared unkempt. Suddenly, she was seized by a sensation of nausea and had to rush to the toilet and vomit. She wrinkled her nose at the sight of the mess in the toilet bowl. It appeared to be slightly greenish tinged. She continued to throw up each morning, but kept it from her mother, who had problems with a busy time at work on her mind. She worked for the Ministry, which was now very busy with hosting the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament. During this time, the hysteria about Sirius Black died down. The sickly phase for Sally soon passed, but she began to crave more food, including sweet and spicy things together. When the next term came, she was eager to approach Hagrid and tell him how her pregnancy was going and ask when her belly would really swell. Hagrid sent her a letter by owl on the first day of term to meet him down at the paddock on the outer fringes of the Forbidden Forest, so she went after breakfast.

She smiled widely as she spotted Lacey waving at her from the other end of the paddock. She was now dressed in boots, jeans and a striped sweater. A centaur foal was gambolling around the paddock at high speed, his silver coat glistening in the sunlight. He gambolled up to Sally. He had the torso, arms and head of a chubby baby, his head was covered in blond fuzz, his blue eyes stared at her with a child's curiousity and his round face was smiling and dimpled. He already measured Sally's height. Like horses, centaurs grew quickly and were full of energy at just nine weeks old. "Mummy," he squealed, throwing his arms around her and pressing his lips against her cheek. Sally laughed and put her arms around him.

"Mummy's here," said Lacey, racing over to them. "Phil, meet my friend Sally. Sally is Mummy's friend."

"Sally prettee," cooed Phil. "Sally got spots. We got no spots or stripes."

Sally shrugged and smiled, touching her freckled cheek. "You've got a good eye, dear Phil," she said. "Your mummy should be so proud."

"I am," said Lacey, her blue eyes sparkling. She looked happy, her cheeks were flushed a rosy pink and there was a spring to her step. Her hair was now done in a neat pony tail. "Phil's not so little now, are you lovey?" she said, stroking Phil's hair. "But he will always be my little Phil. Not too long before we ride away, my son." Lacey sighed. "Hagrid got a howler from my mum about how I'd ruined my life and it was his fault," she said. "To think Phil will never meet his grandparents..."

"Mummy, food!" squealed Phil. Lacey pulled open her sweater exposing one of her breasts and Phil began to suckle with every sign of enjoyment.

"My, you are always hungry Phil," said Lacey fondly.

Hagrid entered the paddock at that moment. "Hows everythin'?" he asked. "Sally, yer see what a great mother Lacey is?"

"Certainly and I will be too," said Sally, patting her belly.

"That yer will," said Hagrid. "Ye'll probably have to go on a diet, eatin' more an everythin'. But let me show yer another new species I've been makin'," He led Sally to his hut where there was a pit dug in the ground. The pit was full of what looked like deformed, shell-less lobsters, legs stuck out at odd angles, crawling all over one another. "A cross between manticores and firecrabs, for the Triwizard Tournamen,'" Hagrid told her. "Tha' was my magic. I was jus' havin' some fun."

"How could crossing a lion and human hybrid with a scorpion tail with a turtle with a jewelled shell produce arthropods?" Asked Sally, interested.

"Tha's tellin,'" said Hagrid mysteriously, "but I can trust yer Sally, so yer should know."


	3. Chapter 3

**A choice of studs**

"Them skrewts are for the Triwizard Tournamen,' said Hagrid.

Lacey and Phil trotted up to the skrewt pit at that moment. "Cedric is certain to be chosen as Hogwarts champion," said Lacey. "He's a prize stallion if there every was one," She gave a reminiscent sigh, "Cedric also has an affinity with unicorns. His wand was supplied by a particularly fine unicorn stallion."

Sally was interested to know where this was going; "so did the three of you, you know, you, your unicorn stud and Cedric..."

"Oh we had a romp in the forest alright," but that was all, said Lacey with a shake of her head.

That night, in the shelter of the wooden cabin, sleeping on a straw mattress with Phil snuggled close to her, Lacey dreamt of that day in the Forbidden Forest. It had been a fine October morning, the air had been cool and crisp, the apples were ripe and the golden brown leaves were falling from the trees and giving the woods a splendid carpet. Phil had already been conceived. She had asked Cedric to take a walk with her to see the unicorn stallion again. The stallion trusted her so much that he would even allow Cedric to approach him, after she had reassured him that it was okay. She had demonstrated how she could fondle the stallions impressive member, so that he rolled over and squirted them both with a stream of rainbow coloured unicorn seed. They had rolled over in the leaves, their faces splattered with viscous, rainbown coloured drops and Lacey had kissed Cedrics perfectly sculpted face and gazed into those shimmering, grey eyes... he had the most perfect nose and she had had to kiss it. Too bad he was not endowed the way her stud was. She whispered that she had already gone a lot further with the stallion and now carried a little centaur inside her womb. Cedric had seemed uncomfortable at that and had been in a hurry to get back to the castle. He had avoided her after that and she now wondered whether she had chosen the right mate. Not that she regretted having her son, of course she didn't, but her unicorn stallion had left this part of the forest. Hagrid said that unicorns could not be tamed and that he would only return if he wanted to. Then he had commended her on being a better mother than his giantess mum had ever been. Hmmm. She had had time to reflect on his preoccupation with other magical creatures of crossed species. His mother had abandoned him and he was eager to look after magical creatures that were as aggressive as giants.

Back in the set, Sally attended the regular gathering the Hufflepuffs had for house solidarity. Professor Sprout opened the meeting: "Welcome one and all to the Sett! That's the secret name for our digs here at Hogwarts - Common Room and dormitories and all. The sett of the badgers is our home, our fortress and our comfort. You're here to become the finest witches and wizards you can be. I want no bullying or strutting. It's one for all here, in Hufflepuff House. Obviously it would be great if some trophies came our way, but if not, I don't mind as long as you did your best. We can't all be good at eveything."

"Cedric is!" squealed Hannah Abbott.

Sally turned her gaze on Cedric, who blushed rosily at being singled out.

"No need for false modesty Cedric, you are good at everything," said Professor Sprout. "And it is certain that you will be the Triwizard Champion this year."

Professor Sprout was right. Badgers should all look out for each other, but Cedric had been judgemental about Lacey's affair with the unicorn stallion. Sally wondered whether she should confront him about it.


End file.
